hold

Definition of hold

held

holding

transitive verb

1a: to have possession or ownership of or have at one's disposal holds property worth millionsthe bank holds the title to the carb: to have as a privilege or position of responsibility hold a professorshipc: to have as a mark of distinction holds the record for the 100-yard dashholds a PhD

2: to keep under restraint hold price increases to a minimum: such asa: to prevent free expression of hold your temperb: to prevent from some action ordered the troops to hold firethe only restraining motive which may hold the hand of a tyrant — Thomas Jeffersonc: to keep back from use ask them to hold a room for usI'll have a hot dog, and hold the mustardd: to delay temporarily the handling of please hold all my calls

3: to make liable or accountable or bound to an obligation I'll hold you to your promise

4a: to have or maintain in the grasp hold my handthis is how you hold the racket; also:aim, pointheld a gun on themb: to support in a particular position or keep from falling or moving hold me up so I can seehold the ladder steadya clamp holds the whole thing togetherhold your head upc: to bear the pressure of :supportcan the roof hold all of that weight

5: to prevent from leaving or getting away hold the train: such asa: to avoid emitting or letting out how long can you hold your breathb: to restrain as or as if a captive the suspect was held without bailheld them at gunpoint; also: to have strong appeal to the book held my interest throughout

6a: to enclose and keep in a container or within bounds :containthe jug holds one gallonthis corral will not hold all of the horsesb: to be able to consume easily or without undue effect can't hold any more pie; especially: to be able to drink (alcoholic beverages) without becoming noticeably drunk can't hold your liquorc:accommodatethe restaurant holds 400 dinersd: to have as a principal or essential feature or attribute the book holds a number of surprises; also: to have in store no one knows what the future holds

7a: to have in the mind or express as a judgment, opinion, or belief I hold the view that this is wronghold a grudgeholding that it is nobody's business but his — Jack Olsen —often used with againstin America they hold everything you say against you — Paul McCartneyb: to think of in a particular way :regardwere held in high esteem

8a: to assemble for and carry on the activity of held a conventionb: to cause to be carried on :conductwill hold a seminarc: to produce or sponsor especially as a public exhibition will hold an art show

9a: to maintain occupation, control, or defense of the troops held the ridge; also: to resist the offensive efforts or advance of held the opposing team to just two pointsb: to maintain (a certain condition, situation, or course of action) without change hold a course due east

10: to cover (a part of the body) with one or both hands(as for protection or comfort) held his knee after the fall; especially: to cover (the ears) to prevent hearing held her ears when the train went by

intransitive verb

1a: to maintain position : refuse to give ground the defensive line is holdingb: to continue in the same way or to the same degree :lasthopes the weather will hold —often used with up

2: to derive right or title —often used with of or fromlands held of the Crown

3: to be or remain valid :applythe rule holds in most cases —often used in the phrase hold true

4: to maintain a grasp on something : remain fastened to something the anchor held in the rough sea

5: to go ahead as one has been going held south for several miles

6: to bear or carry oneself asked him to hold still

7: to forbear an intended or threatened action :halt, pause —often used as a command

8: to stop counting during a countdown

9slang: to have illicit drug material in one's possession

hold a brief for

:advocate, defend —usually used in negative constructions I hold no brief for cartels and market allocations — J. D. Upham

hold a candle to

: to qualify for comparison with doesn't hold a candle to what she has suffered

hold court

: to be the center of attention among friends or admirers

hold forth

: to speak at length :expatiateholding forth on the subject of politics

hold hands

: to engage one's hand with another's especially as an expression of affection

hold one's breath

1: to prevent oneself from breathing temporarily

2: to wait in anxious anticipation

hold one's horses

: to slow down or stop for a moment —usually used in the imperative

hold one's own

: to maintain one's position : prove equal to opposition prove I can hold my own with the best of them

Origin and Etymology of hold

Middle English holden, going back to Old English healdan, going back to Germanic *hald-a-, whence also Old High German haltan “to protect, guard, hold,” Old Saxon haldan, Old Norse halda, Gothic haldan “to tend, graze (cattle)”; perhaps, if -d- (going back to Indo-European *-dh-) is a root extension with resultative meaning, a derivative from the Indo-European base *kel- “drive, urge” (whence Greek kelésthai “to urge, exhort”), with sense shift from “pasture” to “keep, protect” to “hold” — more at accelerate

Near Antonyms

Synonym Discussion of hold

contain, hold, accommodate mean to have or be capable of having within. contain implies the actual presence of a specified substance or quantity within something. the can contains a quart of oilhold implies the capacity of containing or the usual or permanent function of containing or keeping. the bookcase will hold all my textbooksaccommodate stresses holding without crowding or inconvenience. the hall can accommodate 500 people

2

hold

noun

Definition of hold

3a(1): the act or the manner of grasping something (as in the hands or arms) :gripreleased his hold on the handletook hold of the rope(2): a manner of grasping an opponent in wrestling applied an illegal holdb: a nonphysical bond that attaches, restrains, or constrains or by which something is affected, controlled, or dominated trying to tighten her hold on the company's financeshas lost its hold on the broad public — Oscar Cargillc: full comprehension get hold of exactly what is happening — J. P. Lyfordd: full or immediate control :possessionget hold of yourselfwants to get hold of a road mape:touch 8 —used with oftried to get hold of you, but you never answered your phone

4: something that may be grasped as a support searched for holds in the rock

hold

Definition of hold for Students

hold

Definition of hold for Students

1: the part of a ship below the decks in which cargo is stored

2: the cargo compartment of an airplane

Law Dictionary

hold

transitive verb

Legal Definition of hold

held

holding

1a: to have lawful possession or ownership of held the property as tenants in commonthe band holds the title to the carb: to have as a privilege or position of responsibility holding a retail liquor licensethe judges…shall hold their offices during good behavior — U.S. Constitution art. III

2: to restrain the liberty of; specifically: to keep in custody the defendant will be held without bail

3: to cause to be conducted will hold a hearing on the matter

4: to rule as the holding of a case the court held that such conduct violated the statute — compare decide, find